1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates improvements in the construction and operation of handguns and in particular to improvements, among others, in a mechanism for mounting the hammer in the frame of a handgun and a locking mechanism for a single shot, breech opening handgun.
2. State of the Art
Single shot handguns are well known. Breech opening handguns are also known in the prior art. Such handguns generally incorporate a frame, a breech block, a cylindrical firing chamber that extends through the breech block and has a discharge opening in the forward end and a breech opening in the rearward end, a firing pin extending from a face of the frame that abuts the rearward end of the breech block, with the firing pin being in alignment with the firing chamber, a hammer for driving the firing pin, a barrel connected to the forward end of the breech block in alignment with the discharge end of the firing chamber, and means for pivotally attaching the breech block to the frame so that the barrel and breech block can be pivoted from a battery position to an open position for removing a spent round from and inserting an unfired round into the breech opening in the breech block. Various locking means have been utilized to lock the breech block in the battery position. Generally, some type pivoting lock arm on the frame of the handgun is adapted to engage a lock pin or catch in the breech block. Such locking means are cumbersome, difficult to use, and adversely effect the accuracy of the handgun due to excess play in the locking means.
Various means have been used to mount the hammer of a handgun in the frame. Generally, the hammer has a pivot axle that must be incorporated with the hammer and then installed in the frame of the gun. Costly machining is required for the hammer, the numerous parts necessary in the assembly, and for the hammer receiving cavity in the frame. Further, the assembly of the hammer is labor intensive and must be done by skilled labor.
Various means have been used to mount a handle to the frame of the gun, but there has been no suggestion of utilizing means for mounting the handle to the frame which also provides for incorporation of an elongate, coil spring for biasing the hammer to its fired position when the trigger is pulled. Generally, handguns utilize a leaf spring system that are cumbersome and increase the complexity of the assembly of the handgun.
Gun sights are, of course, used on all handguns. In the past, however, the sights have generally been non-adjustable. In highly skilled target practice, it would be highly advantageous to provide an adjustable rear sight which could be fine tuned by the shooter to existing conditions.
3. Objectives
A principal objective of the invention is to provide a breech opening handgun having an improved locking mechanism that securely holds the breech block and the barrel extending therefrom firmly in the battery position with essentially no play in the locking mechanism.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide such an improved locking mechanism for a breech opening handgun that requires two fingered operation which minimizes the likelihood of inadvertent unlocking and positively eliminates the possiblity of inadvertently firing the gun at the same time as unlocking the breech.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide improved means for mounting the hammer of a handgun in the frame which utilizes a cylindrical disc that fits snugly in the mounting cavity adjacent to the hammer and has an outer face that is in alignment with the side of the frame of the gun.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide improved means for mounting the handle to the frame, wherin the handle mounting means also provides for incorporation of an elongate, coil spring for biasing the hammer to its fired position when the trigger is pulled.
An additional objective of the present invention is to provide a simple but effective back sight for a handgun which allows adjustment of the sight notch back and forth along a direction substantially transverse of the barrel of the handgun.